Phoebe bird

Phoebe bird

I’m not sure what it means, but Mr. Roger Troy Peterson in his Field Guide to the Birds, asserts that the Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) has a weakness for small bridges. I think that really means that they build their nest on them, or under them, not that they just nest near them but the irony of my nesting Phoebe bird is that she chose to nest above Too’s outside light fixture – near our little bridge. The Phoebe likes to nest on sheltered ledges and niches and will build on bridges, porches, eaves and sheds.

Ms. Phoebe has produced five fine eggs. The light fixture is too close to the porch ceiling for us to just peek into the moss and mud nest so I used the hand mirror and with the help of Himself, was able to take a picture. As we go in and out, we startle her off and away and I feel sorry that she can’t sit on her eggs. I have proposed to Himself that when we have her startled off the nest, that we turn on the outside light to produce a little heat to protect our eggs. Himself doesn’t think that is probably necessary.

The Phoebe named himself as he says phoe-be or fi bree with the second note alternately higher or lower that the first. It isn’t really whistled but just spoken. Phoe-be. Phoe-be. Mr. Peterson says that the Phoebe is in the Flycatcher family and that they are not as restless as most birds but sit quite still but they do pump their tails up and down as they sit and wait to snatch up passing insects.

Last visit here, Ms. Phoebe scolded at us. She sat up in a tree somewhere and chided us, trying to shame us into vacating. This time, she has not scolded but waited patiently for us to quiet down. Then she slips back into the nest without us hearing so much as a whisper of her.

We will go to III tomorrow and leave Phoebe bird in charge.